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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to recommended vehicle maintenance and more particularly to an improved method for alerting an owner of the need for various types of vehicle maintenance.
(2) Background Information
Automobile manufacturers supply vehicle owners with a manual which describes the operation of the vehicle and includes information as to recommended maintenance and schedules of recommended time intervals for such maintenance. In addition, the owner""s manual will provide a list of various items on the vehicle which should be checked, replaced, or repaired, at recommended time or mileage intervals.
With the fast pace of society, regular vehicle maintenance is less frequently attempted by the vehicle owner, and is more and more frequently relegated to car dealers, service stations, and other specialized service facilities. In fact, many vehicle owners have difficulty in remembering even very basic maintenance, such as the changing of oil in the vehicle.
Because of the wide variety of makes, models, engine sizes, and other vehicle options available, a service facility must have access to each vehicle""s particular maintenance schedules in order to make appropriate recommendations for each vehicle.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved method for alerting a vehicle owner of recommended vehicle maintenance.
Another object is to provide a service facility with maintenance information directly from a manufacturer of a particular vehicle, to permit the service facility to determine the necessary maintenance time periods and mileages for a given vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for alerting a vehicle owner of needed maintenance which graphically displays necessary maintenance items.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The method for alerting a vehicle owner of recommended maintenance on the vehicle includes the initial step of entering vehicle identification data into a computer system. The computer system includes a database with vehicle maintenance data, a processor for processing the vehicle identification data and selecting appropriate vehicle maintenance data for the owner""s vehicle, and a monitor for displaying the selected vehicle maintenance data. The computer will then alert the vehicle owner of specific service items needing attention from the selected vehicle maintenance data displayed. The step of alerting the vehicle owner includes visually alerting the owner with a flashing graphic display for particular service items needing attention.